HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



DEC 



Declinate.Bent downwards. 



Decompound, Decomposite. Having various 

 compound divisions or ramifications ; a 

 leaf is said to be decompound when it is 

 twice pinnated; a panicle, when its 

 branches are also panicled. 



Decumbent. Reclining upon the earth and 

 rising again from it; applied to stems 

 when they recline upon the surface of the 

 earth, but have a tendency to rise again 

 at the extremities; applied to stamens, it 

 is a synonym of Declinate, which see. 



Decurrent. Where the limb of a leaf is pro- 

 longed down the stem on each side, be- 

 low the point of insertion, or where the 

 midrib quits it; as though the leaf were 

 partially united to the stem by its mid- 

 rib. Common in the Thistles. 



Decursively pinnate. When a petiole is 

 winged by the elongation of the base of 

 the leaflets; hardly different from pin- 

 natifid. 



Decussate, Decussated. Arranged in pairs 

 that alternately cross each other; when 

 two right lines cross each other at right 

 angles they are said to be decussate; 

 leaves are often placed in this position, 

 as in Ixora parmftora, Phlox decussata, etc. 



Deferent. Conveying anything downwards. 



Deftexed. Bending gradually downwards 

 through the whole length. 



Defoliation. The casting off of leaves. 



Deformation. An alteration in the usual 

 form of an organ, by accident or other- 

 wise. 



Degeneration. Some peculiarity in the 

 condition of an organ, induced by a mod- 

 ification of the circumstances under 

 which its more usual and healthy devel- 

 opment is effected. 



Degradation. A change, consisting of an 

 abstraction, loss, abortion, or non-devel- 

 opment of usual organs. 



DEP 



Dehiscence. The opening of pods and of 

 the cells of anthers at maturity, so as to 

 emit seeds, pollen, etc. 



Dehiscent. Opening, gaping; an expression 

 applied to the mode in which the anthers 

 or the capsule burst open and discharge 

 their contents. 



Deliquescent. Branched, but so divided that 

 the principal axis is lost trace of in ram- 

 ifications, as the head of an Oak tree. 



Deltoid. A solid, the transverse section of 

 which has a triangular outline. Also ap- 

 plied to the outline of thin bodies. 



Demersed. Buried beneath water. 



Dendroid. Divided at the top into a num- 

 ber of branches, so as to resemble the 

 head of a tree; only applied to small 

 plants like Mosses. 



Dendron. In Greek compounds dendron 

 means a tree. 



Dens. A toothing. 



Densum. Thick, tufted, bundled. 



Dentate. Having sharp teeth with concave 

 edges. When these teeth are themselves 

 toothed, the part is duplicato-dentate ; not 

 bidentate, which means two-toothed. 



Dentato-crenate. The same as crenato-den- 

 tate, which see. 



Dentato-laciniate. When toothings are ir- 

 regularly extended into long points. 



Dentato-serrate. When toothings are taper- 

 pointed and directed forwards, like ser- 

 ratures. 



Denticulate, Denticulatus. Having very fine 

 marginal teeth. 



Denudate, Denudatus. When a surface 

 which has once been hairy, downy, etc., 

 becomes naked. 



Deoperculate. A term used in describing 

 Mosses, when the operculum will not 

 separate spontaneously from the spore- 



Depauperate. When some part is less pei- 



